Peer Leaders

We Make Culture’s Peer Leaders project is a key part of our progression programme. It supports young people, aged 16-25, to develop leadership, facilitation and employability skills and support them to move into volunteer and paid positions at WMC and beyond. For WMC, this programme will support us to better integrate youth voice into the WMC team and develop our workforce to reflect the communities we serve.  

From September 2025, we are excited to welcome 5 new paid Peer Music Leaders to the WMC team, all of whom are YMP members or alumni. This group will be supported by musician Ashleigh Lowes, to continue to develop their skills through mentorship, training in safeguarding, first aid and practice development and ongoing group support. 

• Ami McGuinness, Paige Smith and Sophie Jackson will lead our new Young Musicians Project group for 18-25 year olds.  

• Josh Sinclair will support our Hendon Singing Club and Young Musicians Project group. 

• Caleb Adams will support our Lambton Street Young Musicians Project group. 

We’ll be sharing their leadership experiences via. our social media channels!

The YMP Progression Programme is generously supported by Arts Council England. 

Peer to Peer Training Programme 

Peer to Peer is a programme created by We Make Culture, developed through the #Innovate programme from Sound Connections with the aim to help young musicians to develop music leadership and facilitation skills.  

Since January 24, Peer to Peer has supported 10 members of the Young Musicians Project to participate on a progression path, developing skills in facilitation and leadership. Peer to Peer introduces young people to themes such as safeguarding and youth voice and gives practical opportunities to build and develop their skills. 

“I really liked having the opportunity to experience facilitation first hand through shadowing and delivering short sessions, whilst being guided rather than told what to do. I felt Peer to Peer provided an opportunity to explore my own creative freedom when delivering a session and was a great place to learn how to properly reflect and receive feedback.” - Peer to Peer Participant

“I really enjoyed having the opportunity to shadow different groups and lead my own lyric writing session. I also liked meeting with others to discuss their own experiences and working in a group.” - Peer to Peer Participant